Triaxial antenna for microwave tissue ablation

ABSTRACT

An improved antenna for microwave ablation uses a triaxial design which reduces reflected energy allowing higher power ablation and/or a smaller diameter feeder line to the antenna.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application of Ser. No. 10/834,802filed Apr. 29, 2004.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to medical instruments for ablatingtissue, and in particular to a microwave probe for ablation of tumorsand the like.

Microwave ablation (MWA), like radio frequency ablation (RFA), useslocalized heating to cause tissue necrosis. However, MWA can producegreater and more rapid heating and can easily support the use ofmultiple probes because current flow between the probes can be limited.The mode of heating in MWA also eliminates ground pads and charringconcerns.

Unfortunately, current MFA equipment produces relatively small lesionsbecause of practical limits in power and treatment time. Power islimited by the current carrying capacity of the small gauge feeder lineas it passes through the patient to the site of the necrosis. Largerfeeder lines are undesirable because they are not easily insertedpercutaneously. Heating of the feeder line at high powers can also leadto burns around the insertion point of the MWA probe.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a triaxial microwave probe design for MWAwhere the outer conductor allows improved tuning of the antenna toreduce reflected energy through the feeder line. This improved tuningreduces heating of the feeder line allowing more power to be applied tothe tissue and/or a smaller feed line to be used. Further, the outerconductor may slide with respect to the inner conductors to

Specifically, the present invention provides a probe for microwaveablation having a first conductor and a tubular second conductorcoaxially around the first conductor but insulated therefrom. A tubularthird conductor is fit coaxially around the first and second conductors.The first conductor may extend beyond the second conductor into tissuewhen a proximal end of the probe is inserted into a body for microwaveablation. The second conductor may extend beyond the third conductorinto the tissue to provide improved tuning of the probe limiting powerdissipated in the probe outside of the exposed portions of the first andsecond conductors.

Thus, it is one object of at least one embodiment of the invention toprovide improved tuning of an MWA device to provide greater power to alesion without risking damage to the feed line or burning of tissueabout the feed line and/or to allow smaller feed lines in microwaveablation.

The third tubular conductor may be a needle for insertion into the body.The needle may have a sharpened tip and may use an introducer to helpinsert it.

Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the inventionto provide a MWA probe that may make use of normal needle insertiontechniques for placement of the probe.

It is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention toprovide a rigid outer conductor that may support a standard coaxial fordirect insertion into the body.

The first and second conductors may fit slidably within the thirdconductor.

It is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention toprovide a probe that facilitates tuning of the probe in tissue bysliding the first and second conductors inside of a separate introducerneedle.

The probe may include a lock attached to the third conductor toadjustably lock a sliding location of the first and second conductorswith respect to the third conductor.

It is thus another object of at least one embodiment of the invention toallow locking of the probe once tuning is complete.

The probe may include a stop attached to the first and second conductorsto abut a second stop attached to the third conductor to set an amountthe second conductor extends beyond the tubular third conductor intotissue. The stop may be adjustable.

Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the inventionto provide a method of rapidly setting the probe that allows for tuningafter a coarse setting is obtained.

The second conductor may extend beyond the third conductor by an amountL1 and the first conductor may extend beyond the second conductor by anamount L2 and L1 and L2 may be multiples of a quarter wavelength of amicrowave frequency received by the probe.

It is thus another object of at least one embodiment to promote astanding wave at an antenna portion of the probe.

These particular objects and advantages may apply to only someembodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scopeof the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a microwave power supplyattached to a probe of the present invention for percutaneous deliveryof microwave energy to a necrosis zone within an organ;

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view of the proximal end of theprobe of FIG. 1 showing exposed portions of a first and second conductorslideably received by a third conductor and showing a sharpenedintroducer used for placement of the third conductor;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the probe of FIG. 2showing connection of the microwave power supply to the first and secondconductors; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of theprobe showing a distal electric connector plus an adjustable stop thumbscrew and lock for tuning the probe;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, a microwave ablation device 10 per the presentinvention includes a microwave power supply 12 having an output jack 16connected to a flexible coaxial cable 18 of a type well known in theart. The cable 18 may in turn connect to a probe 20 via a connector 22at a distal end 24 of the probe 20.

The probe 20 provides a shaft 38 supporting at a proximal end 25 anantenna portion 26 which may be inserted percutaneously into a patient28 to an ablation site 32 in an organ 30 such as the liver or the like.

The microwave power supply 12 may provide a standing wave or reflectedpower meter 14 or the like and in the preferred embodiment may provideas much as 100 watts of microwave power of a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Suchmicrowave power supplies are available from a wide variety of commercialsources including as Cober-Muegge, LLC of Norwalk, Conn., USA.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, generally a shaft 38 of the probe 20includes an electrically conductive tubular needle 40 being, forexample, an 18-gauge needle of suitable length to penetrate the patient28 to the ablation site 32 maintaining a distal end 24 outside of thepatient 28 for manipulation.

Either an introducer 42 or a coaxial conductor 46 may fit within theneedle 40. The introducer 42 may be a sharpened rod of a type well knownin the art that plugs the opening of the needle 40 and provides a point44 facilitating the insertion of the probe 20 through tissue to theablation site 32. The needle 40 and introducer 42 are of rigid material,for example, stainless steel, providing strength and allowing easyimaging using ultrasound or the like.

The coaxial conductor 46 providing a central first conductor 50surrounded by an insulating dielectric layer 52 in turn surrounded by asecond outer coaxial shield 54. This outer shield 54 may be surroundedby an outer insulating dielectric not shown in FIG. 2 or may be receiveddirectly into the needle 40 with only an insulating air gap between thetwo. The coaxial conductor 46 may, for example, be a low loss0.86-millimeter coaxial cable.

Referring still to FIG. 2, the central conductor 50 with or without thedielectric layer 52, extends a distance L2 out from the conductor of theshield 54 whereas the shield 54 extends a distance L1 out from theconductor of the needle 40. L1 is adjusted to be an odd multiple of onequarter of the wavelength of the frequency of the microwave energy fromthe power supply 12. Thus the central conductor 50 in the region of L2provides a resonant monopole antenna having a peak electrical field atits proximal end and a minimal electric field at the end of the shield54 as indicated by 56.

At 2.45 GHz, the length L2 could be as little as 4.66 millimeters.Preferably, however, a higher multiple is used, for example, three timesthe quarter wavelength of the microwave power making L2 approximatelyfourteen millimeters in length. This length may be further increased bymultiple half wavelengths, if needed.

Referring to FIG. 3, the length L1 is also selected to be an oddmultiple of one quarter of the wavelength of the frequency of themicrowave energy from the power supply 12. When needle 40 has asharpened or bevel cut tip, distance L1 is the average distance alongthe axis of the needle 40 of the tip of needle 40.

The purpose of L1 is to enforce a zero electrical field boundarycondition at line 56 and to match the feeder line 56 being acontinuation of coaxial conductor 46 within the needle 40 to that of theantenna portion 26. This significantly reduces reflected energy from theantenna portion 26 into the feeder line 56 preventing the formation ofstanding waves which can create hot spots of high current. In thepreferred embodiment, L1 equals L2 which is approximately fourteenmillimeters.

The inventors have determined that the needle 40 need not beelectrically connected to the power supply 12 or to the shield 54 otherthan by capacitive or inductive coupling. On the other hand, smallamounts of ohmic contact between shield 54 and needle 40 may betolerated.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, during use, the combination of theneedle 40 and introducer 42 are inserted into the patient 28, and thenthe introducer 42 is withdrawn and replaced by a the coaxial conductor46 so that the distance L2 is roughly established. L2 has beenpreviously empirically for typical tissue by trimming the conductor 50as necessary.

The distal end 24 of needle 40 may include a tuning mechanism 60attached to the needle 40 and providing an inner channel 64 aligned withthe lumen of the needle 40. The tuning mechanism provides at its distalend, a thumbwheel 72 having a threaded portion received by correspondingthreads in a housing of the tuning mechanism and an outer knurledsurface 74. A distal face of the thumbwheel provides a stop that mayabut a second stop 70 being clamped to the coaxial conductor 46 threadthrough the tuning mechanism 60 and needle 40. When the stops 70 and onthumbwheel 72 abut each other, the coaxial conductor 46 will beapproximately at the right location to provide for extension L1.Rotation of the thumbwheel 72 allows further retraction of the coaxialconductor 46 to bring the probe 20 into tuning by adjusting L1. Thetuning may be assessed by observing the reflected power meter 14 of FIG.1 and tuning for reduced reflected energy.

The tuning mechanism 60 further provides a cam 62 adjacent to the innerchannel 64 through which the coaxial conductor 46 may pass so that thecam 62 may press and hold the coaxial conductor 46 against the innersurface of the channel 64 when a cam lever 66 is pressed downwards 68.Thus, once L1 is properly tuned, the coaxial conductor 46 may be lockedin position with respect to needle 40.

The distal end of the coaxial conductor 46 may be attached to anelectrical connector 76 allowing the cable 18 to be removably attachedto disposable probes 20.

The present invention provides as much as a ten-decibel decrease inreflected energy over a simple coaxial monopole in simulationexperiments and can create a region of necrosis at the ablation site 32greater than two centimeters in diameter.

It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited tothe embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modifiedforms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments andcombinations of elements of different embodiments as come within thescope of the following claims.

1. A probe for microwave ablation comprising: a first conductor; atubular second conductor coaxially around the first conductor butinsulated therefrom; a tubular third conductor coaxially around thefirst and second conductors; wherein the first conductor extends beyondthe second conductor into tissue, when a proximal end of the probe isinserted into a body for microwave ablation, to promote microwavefrequency current flow between the first and second conductors throughthe tissue; and wherein the second conductor extends beyond the thirdconductor into tissue when an end of the probe is inserted into the bodyfor microwave ablation to provide improved tuning of the probe limitingpower dissipated in the probe outside of exposed portions of the firstand second conductors.
 2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the tubular thirdconductor is a needle for insertion into the body.
 3. The probe of claim2 wherein the needle has a sharpened tip.
 4. The probe of claim 2including a introducer removably received by the tubular third conductorto assist in penetration of the body by the needle.
 5. The probe ofclaim 1 wherein the third conductor is stainless steel.
 6. The probe ofclaim 1 wherein the first and second conductors fit slidably within thethird conductor.
 7. The probe of claim 6 further including a lockattached to the third conductor to adjustably lock a sliding location ofthe first and second conductors with respect to the third conductor. 8.The probe of claim 6 further including a first stop attached to thefirst and second conductors to abut a second stop attached to the thirdconductor to set an amount the second conductor extends beyond thetubular third conductor into tissue.
 9. The probe of claim 8 wherein thefirst stop is adjustable.
 10. The probe of claim 1 wherein the firstconductor extends beyond the second conductor by L2 and the secondconductor extends beyond the third conductor by L1 wherein L1 and L2 areodd multiples of a quarter wavelength of a microwave frequency receivedby the probe.
 11. The probe of claim 1 wherein the first conductorextends beyond the second conductor by L2 and the second conductorextends beyond the third conductor by L1 wherein L1 equals L2.
 12. Theprobe of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first conductor extendingbeyond the second conductor is electrically insulated.
 13. The probe ofclaim 1 wherein the third conductor has an opening smaller than fourteengauge.
 14. The probe of claim 1 including a connector for applying asource of microwave energy to a portion of the probe outside the body.15. A method of microwave ablation comprising the steps of: (a)inserting a probe into a body, the probe having a first conductor; atubular second conductor coaxially around the first conductor, butinsulated therefrom; and a tubular third conductor coaxially around thefirst and second conductors, wherein the first conductor extends alength L2 from the second conductor and the second conductor extends alength L1 from the third conductor; (b) tuning the probe by adjusting L1with respect to L2 to reduce reflected power; (c) applying microwaveelectrical power across the first and second conductors to inducecurrent flow between exposed portions of the first and second conductorsablating tissue in a region of exposed portions of the first and secondconductors.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the microwave power is inexcess of 70 watts.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein step (a)comprises the steps of inserting an introducer into the third conductorand inserting a combination of the third conductor and the introducerpercutaneously into the body, withdrawing the introducer and insertinginstead the first and second conductors, adjusting the length L2according to a reflected microwave energy.
 18. The method of claim 17further including the step of locking the first and second conductors inplace in the third conductor.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein L1 andL2 are odd multiples of a quarter wavelength of a microwave frequencyreceived by the probe.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein L1 equals L2.